A fantastic inclusive Solent yacht sailing weekend break with a Skipper excellent for complete beginners to more experienced sailors starting with a sail on the Friday evening from our Hamble marina. It is a great way to learn to sail and excellent platform to improve your experience and skills in a social environment whilst having a relaxed, fun, yacht sailing experience or holiday break in the sheltered waters of the Solent. These events make for an excellent birthday, Christmas or special occasion present – See Here for Vouchers
These yacht sailing weekend breaks are great for singles, couples and small groups. We either make up a group aboard from several bookings or you can organise your own group of about 5 persons. You arrive Friday evening (late arrivals can be accommodated) and after a safety briefing we cast off to a local port for an evening or ‘night sail’. After the evening sail we then moor up, have ‘sun-downers’ and snacks in the cockpit once safely tied up, eat a fantastic meal aboard with wine in a social environment, and then if you have the energy – go ashore to explore.
The Yacht Tuition – More than you think!
Brilliant for beginners. Various clients have said that we should stress the amount of tuition that you will receive on these weekends, as in their experience, more teaching was delivered than they expected. Normally we run with 2 people teaching aboard (Skipper & 1st Mate) giving an excellent tuition ratio often 1:2 and 1:3 which means if you want it to be intense – it can be! Most people think sailing on the Friday evening is a real bonus and excellent start to the weekend with an understanding where we are, where we go, plus all the lights and shapes for buoyage and shipping. It really seems to make the weekend seem longer!
However, it must be stressed, you decide whether to get involved and at what level. It really is up to you to do as much or as little as you want in terms of running the boat. All practical aspects are covered along with theoretical areas to do with passage planning and local pilotage looking at the charts and reference material. You are guaranteed to learn a lot.
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What You Experience: Some people may want to experience a night sail, others to do some passage planning practice or navigation, if conditions and experience aboard allow we can fly our asymmetric spinnakers. Essentially the Skipper will ask you what your expectations are for the weekend and we will try to achieve them. We have had absolute beginners aboard to Yachtmasters and they have had a great experience learning heaps.
Many people have gone on to experience our beginners Yacht Racing Weekends or if they fancy something abroad our Greece Sailing Event in May & September or our Canary Islands Trip for some winter sunshine in November, January and early February.
Explore local rivers, creeks and ports. We may visit bustling Cowes – the home of the major yacht regattas in the UK, pay a visit to the historic River Beaulieu where they used to build ships for the English fleet in the 18 century or anchor off in Newtown River and stop for lunch and a swim. We could visit the historic town of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight or pop across to its neighbour, Lymington in the New Forest on the mainland. There is so much to do and enjoy with changing scenery and much wildlife. To free up space aboard the boat during peak times we often take the Skipper / First Mate off into shore-side accommodation at night giving people the opportunity to spread out.
The main thing is to relax and enjoy the sailing weekend experience and the opportunity for intense tuition if you want to refresh skills outside of a ‘course format’.
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The Food: You will enjoy quality food and drink whilst you are with us. The catering includes real coffee with breakfast and dinner, ample snacks and fruit throughout the day, a hearty lunch, an excellent Sunday brunch and afternoon tea and cake or scones and cream. We eat aboard one evening during the weekend with pre-dinner G&T’s, a 4-course dinner including a cheese board and wine (normally on the Friday evening). On Saturday, after a goods day sailing and we are safely tied up, we can have cockpit ‘sun-downers’ and nibbles prior to exploring the shore-side entertainment of the local port when we eat in a pub at own cost . You will not go hungry when aboard and we cater for varied diets.
The Boats: We generally use 37 feet modern yachts (3 double cabin) that have additional berths in the saloon area with a maximum of 9 berths aboard. They have toilet, shower and pressurised hot and cold water systems and heating on board for the chillier months. See here and example.
From: Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble, UK. SO31 4HQ Travel by Train info here
Other Dates: If the dates below don’t suit you – then ring us as other weekends are often available. Sometimes we have been able to be flexible with the meeting times and occasionally people arrive late on the Friday and we pick them up in Southampton / Cowes after we have had an evening sail.
Need a Private Weekend for Friends or Family? We can cater for your own private weekend too, putting on a skippered charter weekend if you have a group of friends that would be interested.
Yacht Sailing Weekend Break (Fri 1830 hrs – Sun 1600 hrs)
Price Includes:
Professional Skipper (& First Mate when available)- Accommodation Aboard
- Friday Evening Sail (conditions & crew experience permitting)
- Food & Drink Aboard (see catering above)
- Breakfasts
- Lunches
- 4 Course Dinner (includes cheese board) with Wine
- G&T’s ‘Sun-downer’ & Snacks
- Fuel
- Safety Equipment
- Wet Weather Gear – Jacket & Bib Trouser (adult sizes only)
Please Note – Mooring Fees are shared amongst the number of clients aboard and are between £45-£65 p/night for the yacht. (budget around £15pp per night)
2024 UK Solent Sailing Weekend + Other Cruise Dates
Yacht Sailing Weekend Break (Fri 1830 hrs – Sun 1600 hrs)”A price for cabin for 2 persons” = Total price for 2 people sharing a cabin booked under one form / payment.
Sept 4-8 RYA Day Skip or Comp Crew £750 pp from Gosport 2 Spaces
Sept 7/8 Solent Yacht Sailing Weekend Break £459 Single bunk in saloon / £599 Single Occupancy of Double cabin / £798 (2 person price) in Double Cabin – (Friday 6pm – 4pm Sunday) 2 Spaces
Oct 5/6 Solent Yacht Sailing Weekend Break £459 Single in Saloon Berth / £798 (2 person price) in Double Cabin – (Friday 6pm – 4pm Sunday) 5 Spaces
Oct 12-19 Greek Island Holiday Cruise 7 Spaces
Nov 2/3 Solent ‘Fireworks’ Yacht Sailing Weekend Break £459 Single in Saloon Berth / £798 (2 person price) in Double Cabin – (Friday 6pm – 4pm Sunday) 5 Spaces
November 4-10 (7 Day Cruise) Winter Personal Development. Small teaching ratio’s, lots of night hours, lots of miles, many technical port entries, go west to Dartmouth or go South to Channel Islands or go South East to Baie de la Seine. All great destinations! £1590 (price for 2 Sharing a double cabin) / £995 Saloon berth / £1295 Own cabin single occupancy
Nov 25 – 2 Dec Canary Island Cruise 48ft Modern Yacht – Sorry Full
February 2025 Canary Island Cruise 48ft Modern Yacht – 7 Spaces
NB: All crew for Cross Channel Trips / Cruises or foreign destinations require travel documentation (passport / visa) to visit those respective countries. France / Channel Islands and entry back into UK – customs have to be cleared at ports once outside UK waters. West Country or Jurassic Coast trips remain within UK waters and do not require custom clearance. Greece, Croatia and Spain entry requirements for foreign trips.
2024 Greece & Canary Islands Yacht Sailing Cruises
Oct 12-19 2024 Greece Holiday Trip – ‘Buy a Berth’ 51ft Yacht around the Greek Islands (Saronic & Argolic Gulf Sailing) and an ‘Assisted Flotilla’ experience. 7 Spaces
Canaries Week – Winter Sailing from Tenerife
Buy a Berth Places: Canaries Island Cruise Week
November 25-2 Dec 2024 (7 day) 0 Spaces
February 2025 (7 day) 7 Spaces
Canaries Complete Yacht Charter incl Skipper – Approximate cost of (10 berth) 48 ft yacht including Skipper – from £7495)
Have a group and want a warm week sunning yourselves afloat during the cooler months – we can sort it! Ring us!
How to Book: We do not have an online booking system and prefer to communicate individually to our clients. Email us at info@yachtforce.co.uk or give us a ring on 02380 016450 and check availability. We will send you more information, the event specification, booking form with details of how to book. If required we can either fill a form in over the phone and take payment by card. Debit cards / bank transfers are preferred.
Once booked: We send a confirmation and ‘what to bring aboard doc’.
Email us at info@yachtforce.co.uk if you need more info.
NB: Make sure that we are a trusted email – we have had reports that our emails go into some peoples spam folders – especially Hotmail accounts.
Dates don’t fit?
Enquire, and we’ll do our best to put them on at your request! Further information of the Lanzarote charter fleet click here
Got a Group? Want your own date for your private weekend with family bubble – not a problem. Speak to us and we will tailor make a weekend for 4 people plus!
Need a present? Vouchers available – see here
See Our Team Here
See more on wet weather gear Here
How to Book: We do not have an online booking system and prefer to communicate individually to our clients. Ring us on 02380 016450 or email and check availability. We can either fill a form in over the phone and take payment by card or email you a booking form and you can do a bank transfer. Debit cards / bank transfers are preferred.
Once booked: We send a confirmation and ‘what to bring aboard doc’.
Email us at info@yachtforce.co.uk if you need more info. NB: Make sure that we are a trusted email – we have had reports that our emails go into some peoples spam folders – especially Hotmail and gmail accounts.
Jonathan O’Brien, ‘I booked this to get some more experience towards my Day Skipper qualification and dragged the long suffering missus along too. From the moment we arrived, it was obvious we were in good hands. The Skipper knows everything about boats and the Solent and the First Mate knocked up delicious food in a tiny galley while we were cranked over and bouncing up and down. The Skipper knew what I wanted out of the trip and gave me route planing and pilotage tasks and he even had the missus on the helm and trimming the jib.
We had great weather, great wind and got on well with the rest of the crew. A super learning experience for me and a great weekend for everyone else.’
